In situ diagnostic techniques have evolved into a high speed, highly automated process. Standard size test chambers in the form of microarrays of columns and rows of individual wells are formed by means of a microtitre plate or plates on a substrate to which the microtitre plate(s) is attached. The standard matrix of columns and rows is available in different sizes to suit different automated equipment. However, a common format is the use of microarrays on 1 mm thick, 25 mm×75 mm glass microscope slides.
The standard microtiter plate is approximately 86 mm×128 mm. Wells in microtitre plates are provided with standard spacing, such as a 9 mm spacing in a 96 well plate, which has the wells arranged in 12 columns and 8 rows. A 4.5 mm spacing between the centers of adjacent wells is used in a 384 well plate which has the wells arranged in 24 columns and 16 rows. A 2.25 mm spacing is used in a 1536 well plate, with the wells arranged in 48 columns and 32 rows.
It would be desirable to provide a simple and expedient means for creating a plurality of reaction surfaces on microscope slides in the footprint of a standard microtitre plate for use in automated in situ diagnostic apparatus. It would also be desirable to provide a reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus which provides an easy assembly of the individual apparatus components; yet an assembly which is easily disassembled. It would also be desirable to provide a reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus which includes means for securely retaining the apparatus components together during use.